Communication in pipe lines



Sept. 3, 1946. E. w. SMITH COMMUNICATION IN PIPE LINES Original FiledJan. 10, 1934 Patented Sept. 3, 1946 UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE.

COlVlIVIUNICATION IN PIPE LINES Original application January 10, 1934,Serial No.

706,159. Divided and this application August.

12, 1936, Serial No. 95,567

10 Claims. 1 The present invention is a division of my copendingapplication serial No. 106,159 filed January 10, 1934.

The present invention relates to communica- 2 transmission of messagesand signals along a pipe line, it may also be applied to other methodsof communication along a continuous metallic conductor as, for instance,a railroad rail.

tion along pipe lines or other mechanical con- 5 In the presentinvention a two-way communiductors by means of sound or compressionalwave cation may be established over the same line and vibration. it isalso possible to signal in one direction only At the present t e pipelines have been extenand to receive compressional wave vibrations sivelyused for the transportation of both oil and from that direction. Thecommunication may These p p lines e t q e t y for a be by telegraph orcode signals or speech may be great distance, So eti es Over 100 es d11- impressed over the line for telephonic communiy are u t in Su a y tat a Continuous cation. It will be appreciated, of course, that duemechanical connection is made for the whole disto the fact that sound orcompressional Wave tance. Such lines are usually called all-weldedibrations are transmitted at a much lower velines when the jointsbetween sections of the 15 locity than that of electromagnetic waves,that P p s are Welded together. a two-way communication will not bespontane- O her n in m n how may be ous, but that considerable time mayelapse beused, but in practically all cases a close metallic tween thetransmission of speech or a message connection is made between sectionsof the line one way and the other way. For instance, if t all pe twostations are situated miles apart upon In P p lines for the use Of Oiland it is the line, it will take approximately 8 seconds for customaryto place p p Stations at s a c s the sound to travel the distance of 25miles, between 25 and 50 miles in order to boost the which means thatthe sender at one end must Pressure for the transmission of the Oil 0 swait approximately 16 seconds until he receives along the i n o er t opr te these pu p- 25 the message transmitted from the other end. ingstations satisfactorily, it is necessary to pro- This, however, is notobjectionable under the vi e communicating means between he v i specialcircumstances, as it undoubtedly would S a s and t s b heretOfOre e e bein commercial telephonic communication. Pushed y the use Of telegraph, po e 0 The operators at the various stations appreciate WirelessCommunication that such a delay is necessary and their opera- Means fomm nic ion l e the lines h s tion of the transmitting stations ateither end been found to be quite essential and while some ill begoverned accordingly. delay in the means O Co unication may be Thepresent invention will best be understood tolerated, still it isessential to be able to transmit from the following description withreference to messages relative to the transmission of the oil 5 theaccompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 or gas and the operation of theprior station on shows the invention as applied to a pipe line; the linein order to operate the whole system Fi 2 shows a side view looking fromthe left setisfeetorilyof Fig. 1 with the top cover removed; while Fig.e Systems e p at the Present e for 3 is a diagrammatic illustration ofthe applicam nic i n u in me m ntione ove tion of the invention to thepipe line showing are both expensive to install and to maintain completesending and receiving stations and indiwith the possible exception ofsome forms of eating the manner in which they are connected wirelesscommunication against which there are, to the line, however, certaindefinite objections. Not only In the modification shown in Figs. 1 and 2the has wireless communication between stations pipe is shown as 99.Pipes for the transmission proved to be expensive, but it is also apt tointerof oil may be 3 inches in diameter and one quar fere with localbroadcasting and communication ter inch thick and are frequently made offusion and not always to be dependable under certain welded pipes withjoints butted and ld t d fficu t transmission eehditiOnS- getherthroughout their entire length. In places In the present invention,communication isv there may be certain valves used and, if such isaccomplished by means of the line itself which the case, an all metallicwelded connection may is made to act as a transmission line not for bemade around the valves to allow efiicient electromagnetic energy, butfor the energy for sound transmission. As pipes for this purposecompressional wave vibration. While the sysare usually of the dimensionsdescribedabove. tem is primarily to be used in connection with it hasproved to be highly essential to employ bility and the supersonic range.It is possible, however, to bring the frequencies down to valuesof10,000 cycles but frequencies much" below this will demand apparatus ofconsiderable size which will be difficult to mount and'operatesuccessfully in the positions required.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and"2"the pipe 99 is provided with a splitcollar'lM-formed. inTtWO-v parts I 06 and H11, as shown: in: Fig. 2;Each: of."

these, as shown by the sectioned portion of Fig. 1, comprises a heavymass having a surface sub stantially normal to the. pipe, the oppositeside I of the collar being tapered from its outerperipherrtowardfthepipe; The general external shape of the collar istherefore substantially that of a truncated'cone'. The inner-'surfaceofthe collar isribbed 'a's indicated-at 96* to makea good contactwith the pipe surface, The two halves of I the collar are clampedtogether by means of the" bolts; 9 I passing through radially extendingribs land 93 in the'upper and lower halves of thecollar respectively.Each half of the collar is provided with'an annular recessed portion NilZ in which pezo-electric crystals (02, preferably of 'theiRochelle salttype, are placed endwise' therein; EIectrodes'IB S' are'provided atopposite faces of the crystal' an-d"electrical energy is impressedbetween these faces 'to produce a longitudinafvibration of 'thecrysta'l,which vibration is transmitted'to the pipe; The recessed portion inwhichthe crystals are by a cover Ifl l and' the, crystals may be,entirely sealed in'a liquid'such as oil or any other suitable.meanslwh'erebypthe vibrations of the' crystals may be convenientlytransmitted to the system; These crystals, being aperiodic in character,may be excitedf at a high frequency; for instance, 15,000 or 2 0,000cycles per second; which frequency. may be modulated by speech wavesproducing so-called carrier. bands a-numbe of thousand cycles. on eitherside, of the carrier wave. At' the receiving end the carrier Wave maybeleliminated and the speech reproduced in the usual manner. V v

. IntFig. 2 there is shown aside view looking into therecessed portionI02 ofone half 'of the collar. It"Wil1.Lb'e. noted that the crystalsare" preferably arranged. in IOWs J05, J85, etc, andit may be also.mentioned that these. crystals may bacon:- nectedin series or inparallel series combination, whichever is desireditomatch the imped'ance of the, circuit with which the device operates;

In Fig. 3 there is diagrammatically illustrated the layoutof"the'entiresystem, Blland 6| ill us trating the sender and'receiver'or transceiver; as it maybe called at different stations.amplifiers are indicated at.62"and63',' respectively, andfflthereceiveramplifiersxat 64 and 65, re'- spectivel'y; When thesystem is used'forsending at tlie 'left; theswitch 661s. thrown to the. right and in thisco s diti'cmthe key 61 is operated. to transmit; compressional" wave.impulses over the. linein the direction. of thearrow 68; When theswitchpfislis' thrown tothe left;,the station" may,

be"used forireceiving and the operator listening with the phones 69'will'pick up the sound vibrationstransmitted over the line;

placed may be covered The power translated The 4 system connected withthe transceiver 6| operates in a similar manner, the switch 10 beingthrown to the right for sending and to the left for receiving.

Having now described my invention, 1 claim:

1. A means for'transmittlng vibrations along a metallic pipe comprisinga, collar formed on the pipe and a Rochelle salts oscillator formed inpart with said collar for transmitting and receiving compressional wavevibrations.

2. A means for transmitting vibrations along a metalliclpipe'comprisinga pipe section providediwithen'external projecting flange having asurface substantially perpendicular to the pipe,

w a.plurality of;piezo.-electric elements mounted in said: flat surface;means for exciting the same andmeans for-covering the surface tocompletely enclose the said elements.

3. A means for transmitting vibrations along a metallic pipe.comprising, a pipe section provided with an externally projectingfiangei'ta pered at one end substantially to the external pipe size andbeing, provided with a' flat surface" substantially perpendicular to thepipey a p lu rality of "piezo-electric elements mounted in' said flatsurface and means for exciting said elements;

4. A means for transmitting vibrations along a metallic pipe comprisingapipe sectionhaving rigidly'fi'xedthereto an external mass andpiezoelectric means mounted in said mass for vibrating the same. i i 1 y5. A means for transmitting vibrations along a metallic pipe comprisinga collarformed'in'at least'two parts, means clamping the collar to thepipe, a"pluralityof piezo electric crystals mounted in said collar andmeans" for exciting; the same'. v i

6. Means for transmitting vibrations alonga pipe line comprising meansforming a mass about saidpipe and having a surfaceprojectingnormally'from the aXis ofthe pipe, a plurality of piezo-electriccrystals mounted inradial rows in said surface and means" adapted to setthe crystals iIltQl'VlbIELtiOII. v V

7', Means" for transmitting vibrations along a pipe?- line 7 comprising,means" f orming' a mass and a; surface projecting" normally fromthe'aXis" of the pipe. and. art annular recess in said surface;

= ed 'on one side of said collar and adapted to be vibrated in a;direction longitudinal with" said pipe and'means' forming acasing'with'saidtcoL lar.for enclosing saidcrystals. H

9". Means for transmitting vibrations along a pipe line comprising, ahollow annular-mass surroundingfand fixed to said pipe, Rochelle saltcrystal means mountedwithin said mass adapted to bevibrated inadirection parallel tothej axis of saidfpipe and" a1 sound c'on'd'uctingliquid filling. residual space in said hollow mass notoccupied by; saidcrystal'means; V

I 10. Means" forttransmitting speech alon a pipe line comprising aiheavycollar surrounding said pipe,. a plurality of'Rochelle' salt crystalsmountedin. said collar; saidf crystals "being; adapted'to vibrate in adirectionparallel'to the'axisof "the pipe and means for vibrating saidcrystals" at a high frequenc modulated byspeech' waves:

EDWARD W: SMITHZ

